MCMINNVILLE CHRISTMAS COUNT–THE NORTHWEST CORNER

I birded this area in Yamhill County today with Alexander Meyer from Albany. We had 54 species without house sparrow or rock dove, 52 native species! Heavy fog in the mountains but near perfect weather. We met several residents who were proud of their local birds, including one man who has nesting Wood Ducks in his nest box atop his small pond’s embankment. But the Wood Ducks have to deal with threats and attacks from local Cooper’s Hawks.

The star of the day–and a lifer for Alex–was the single Ruffed Grouse, standing back in the underbrush in terrible light, under heavy fog, about one half mile from the upper end of High Heaven Road. Elevation there is about 1200 feet above sea level, habitat mostly regenerating plantations of Doug fir.